Gene-editing may face an uphill battle with dairy farmers

Advances in biotechnology have garnered the spotlight in recent years, particularly with regard to landmark uses of genetic biotechnology… think of the role mRNA technologies played in developing vaccines for COVID-19 as a recent example. Biotechnologies are increasingly utilized in agricultural and environmental applications, with terms such as CRISPR gaining widespread recognition among the consuming publicBut what do farmers think about implementing these types of technologies in their operations?In this episode Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Michigan State University researchers Danielle Ufer and David Ortega about the findings of a recent study of more than 500 American dairy farmers on their willingness to adopt gene-edited genetics in their herds. Their research suggests that farmers may be a little gun shy when it comes to adopting new biotech applications, and that gene editing may face an uphill battle in the dairy sector.This podcast is sponsored by Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production and their #ScienceHearted podcast, “Food Chain Chats.” Check it out to hear insights on how the food supply chain is taking lessons learned from 2020 disruptions into 2021. Subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcasts.